by Jeffery Huffines, UN Representative for CIVICUS & Rio+20 NGO Organizing Partner
Introduction
In 1992 at Rio the leaders of the world agreed that the major cause of the deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable path of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, that aggravates poverty, inequalities and imbalances not just between countries but also within countries. Yet over the last twenty years, rights were created for corporations that far exceed the rights and commitments created for the people and the environment. What civil society said at Rio+20 is that it is time to rebalance those rights.
To address this democracy deficit civil society groups demanded at Rio+20 that governments undertake their responsibilities to act and implement their commitments made 20 years ago.
Regarding the emergence of the BRICS countries and the shift in geopolitical dynamics at play since the financial meltdown of 2008, it is important to recall that this was the first sustainable development Summit called for by a developing country, Brazil. The G77 had originally tabled the resolution for a Rio+20 in November 2008, yet it took ten months before the European Union agreed to the Summit in late September 2009. They then sent middle range civil servants to engage in the crafting of the future we want.
